Planning for the project began two years ago at the urging of Sen. Jackie Winters (R-Salem), and Oregon is the first state to analyze data among multiple agencies in this way, Winters told OPB. Eventually the agencies hope to make early interventions with individual children based on patterns identified in the data. If an analysis shows that multiple foster care placements put a child at greater risk for incarceration, for instance, the agencies may make an effort to minimize the number of times a particular child moves homes.

The next step is to figure out how to process the data among agencies, how to address potential privacy concerns, and how to coordinate interventions without duplicating other agencies’ efforts, said Fariborz Pakseresht, director of the Oregon Youth Authority.

What do you think of this project? What interests you about it? What concerns you?